The present invention relates generally to truck tailgate protectors and more specifically relates to truck tailgate protectors which fasten to a truck tailgate by taking advantage of existing tailgate apertures.
In recent years, pick-up trucks have become increasingly popular as a means for general-purpose hauling, as well as a means for general-purpose transportation. With the cost of vehicles in general, specifically pick-up trucks, increasing, many attempts have been made to increase the life of the pick-up truck's bed. These attempts have primarily focused on lining the pick-up truck cargo area with a preformed plastic liner, thereby eliminating direct contact between the bed and chemicals, abrasives and other destructive elements which tend to rust or otherwise shorten the life of the pick-up truck's bed.
Tailgate covers are commonly used in conjunction with truck bed liner. Tailgate covers prevent the tailgate from being scratched whenever cargo is slid into or out from the pick-up truck. Tailgate covers are generally made of the same material as the truck bed liner and are formed into the general shape of the inside panel of the tailgate. The most common method of installing the cover onto the tailgate is to drill several holes through the cover and tailgate assembly. A general-purpose fastener, such as a sheet metal screw, rivet, or plastic retainer is then inserted through the cover hole and respective tailgate hole to fasten the cover to the tailgate. These fasteners are typically placed along the top and bottom edges of the tailgate cover.
Although this method works satisfactorily in securing the cover to the tailgate, the fasteners which are placed along the top and bottom edges of the cover are normally visible and detract from the cover's appearance. Furthermore, unless a seal is provided between the top edge of the cover and the tailgate, water, abrasives, and other destructive elements can enter and accumulate between the two, thereby accelerating rusting and corrosive activity. Moreover, although tailgate covers prevent damage to the tailgate, mounting techniques which necessitate drilling holes in the tailgate introduce problems of their own. For example, drilling holes through the tailgate causes an aesthetically displeasing appearance of the pick-up tailgate should the tailgate liner ever be removed from the pick-up truck. Furthermore, by placing holes in the tailgate cover, paint, undercoating, plating and other protective coatings are removed, thus introducing the possibility that water, salt, and other destructive elements can enter and attack the bed metal causing premature corrosion. This destructive corrosion not only shortens the life of the tailgate, it also diminishes the overall vehicle value and may void certain aspects of the vehicle's warranty.
Accordingly, even with present tailgate liner constructions, there is a need for a tailgate liner that affixes to the tailgate without introducing any holes or other modifications which affect the tailgate integrity.
It is therefore a principal object of this invention to provide a tailgate liner which can protect the tailgate without introducing any perforations or holes into the truck tailgate.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a tailgate liner which prevents water, abrasives and other destructive elements from entering between the liner and the tailgate from along the top of the tailgate.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a means of fastening a protective cover to a pick-up truck tailgate which is strong, durable, corrosion-resistant and inexpensive to manufacture.